Happy birthday Brianna and Sean.

Substantial, real work.

Biff has finally gone. Now I am getting enquiries from people I have never met regarding thing I know nothing about which they have been discussing with someone else who they reasonably thought would have involved me, but didn’t, and I do not even know where to start looking for information concerning their issues, for similar reasons. However, after twelve weeks of having the interesting stuff dangled briefly in my line of sight after the fact I really don’t mind the anxiety.

Insubstantial, unreal work.

The urgent and important job we had to fit in before September in the middle of testing the September major release has been withdrawn because the legislation has not passed. We had it in testing on Friday. The only thing we needed the hobbits to do was pass the legislation; instead they brought the mailing schedule forward on so we had to organize a special print job to produce the letters in time. Now they don’t want us to do it, or they don’t want us to do it now. We are expecting a message clarifying just exactly how they want us to not proceed, but we don’t know when.

Lessons from team work.

Next Week For Sure nearly threw away a six to three lead in the last quarter of our soccer game on Thursday. Fiona substituted for Sue who left early. Fiona was suffering a cold so she went into goal and Christine came out into the field. Then we all forgot what we were doing. We fell back in defence for ages and without someone staying upfield to draw one of their players out our brazenly physical opponents had all three of their guys keeping possession in our half and hammering the ball at our unwell goalie. We weathered the storm and finished six to five. This week’s lesson: remember the plan, stick to the plan.

Mega-City One were less than hammered in the Heroclix game on Friday. They did fall to Greg’s JLA again, the Judges Mortis and Johnny Alpha had employed their powers, Impervious and Super Senses, to exceedingly unlikely ¹ effect while the Superfriends swept everyone else aside, leaving veteran Judge Mortis as the victor’s final opponent. If the JLA had not been healed earlier in the battle Mortis might have been able to stand against them with his Invulnerable power as even Superman was reduced to only two damage. However Batman could Outwit the Judge’s defence and he went down like a correctly functioning lift or elevator when the button to make it go down is pushed. This week’s lesson: remove their support.

Lessons from popular culture.

At Dave’s on Monday the plot of Starship Manticore strode through an example of conflict resolution involving a sentient computer virus. (Lesson One: most analogies don’t bear close examination.) Once the game mechanics were reviewed the plot devices activated. Previously contrary Nova Jones wrangled Kato Bari a crew for the Manticore and a business partnership for herself. (Lesson Two: if you want the crew to mutiny in the third act you have to hire them in the first act.) Later that evening Kato accompanied Doctor Lazlo to a disused hanger to meet his mysterious Deep Throat who is called Box and communicates via teletext. Box wants them to investigate further but seems blind to the advantages of telling them what is going on. (Lesson Three: if I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.)

At Charmed Pages on Tuesday the Guardians of Justice blew up Galactivac only to discover the artificial Battle Planet was being constructed by a sentient realm of existence called the Veil which, in the throes of awareness, was naïvely annihilating the rest of existence. I don’t think the Guardians have learned their lesson yet.

Lessons from Athens.

Amongst the pairs of groups other people may or may not divide us into are: those who wonder disparagingly how others manage to be heartlessly alert in the morning; and those who, when asked how they manage to be alert in the morning, dissemble and contend any perceived alertness is a delusion. On Monday there seemed only to be: those who stayed up late to see the opening ceremony of the Olympics; and those who woke up early to see the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Sport is a good thing.

¹The chance of Johnny Alpha rolling Super Senses three consecutive times, rookie Judge Mortis rolling Impervious three consecutive times, and veteran Judge Mortis rolling Impervious four consecutive times (which they did) is less than one in fifty thousand. Also, nine of the ten rolls were sixes.
  ¶ 11:11